JMU BEATS DELTA DEVILS FOR FIRST MEN'S BASKETBALL WIN

Tuesday, November 18

Norman, Okla.

6:30 p.m.

James Madison University

1-1

Mississippi Valley State

0-4

Mississippi Valley State

James Madison

11/18/2008 5:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Box Score

NORMAN, Okla., Nov. 18, 2008 ? Six James Madison players had points during a 16-7 scoring run to close the game as the Dukes pulled away for a 62-54 victory over Mississippi Valley State in the second round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off Tuesday.

Playing at the University of Oklahoma, JMU took control over the final seven minutes after Mississippi Valley State rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to lead 47-46. The Dukes went in front to stay, 48-47, on a field goal by freshman guard Devon Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Northland) with 7:18 to play and led 52-47 after field goals by senior forward Kyle Swanston (Spring Hill, Fla./Hernando) and freshman forward Andrey Semenov (St. Petersburg, Russia/Blue Ridge School).

The Delta Devils of the Southwestern Athletic Conference got to within 52-51 with 3:33 left on two straight field goals by Shannon Behling, but a field goal by junior forward Dazzmond Thornton (Denver, Colo./East) and a Swanston three-pointer at 1:55 following a Behling free throw gave JMU a 57-52 lead.

Two Orlando Smith free throws pulled Mississippi Valley State to within 57-54 with 1:00 left, but the Devils didn't score again. Junior guard Pierre Curtis (Denver, Colo./East) had a field goal at 0:34, freshman forward Julius Wells (Toledo, Ohio/Libbey) a free throw with 23 seconds left and Semenov two free throws with eight seconds left for JMU's final points.

The victory evened JMU's record at 1-1 and gave first-year Dukes coach Matt Brady his initial JMU win. Mississippi Valley State fell to 1-2.